Glaciers

Blooming rabbitbrush is a colorful foreground to Mount Shasta and 3 of its massive glaciers.

The Mount Shasta area is vast and varied. It is a delight to all those who love the natural world and yearn to enjoy it. However, exploring Mount Shasta and its environs can be a daunting task, especially to admirers who have not spent much time in the area or have not had the opportunity to dive into the literature that records many of the areas blessings. This reader is intended to pull together several articles and resources that have appeared on Hike Mt Shasta over the years and place them together in an easy-to-access setting. It is my hope that this will be a useful tool for deepening knowledge and appreciation of Mount Shasta, the surrounding mountains and all of Northern California!

Northern California Geography Orientation

California is probably the most geologically diverse state in America. This in part naturally flows from it’s size but there is also an immense amount of diverse geology packed within its borders. The North State, which is the uppermost part of California, maintains this pattern and presents a confusing array of rock types, numerous mountain ranges and a wide variety of geologic forces at work. This series, “Breaking Down The North State”, offers a good introduction on the geography, geology, and various regions that surround Mount Shasta.

Mount Shasta nearly a mountain range unto itself. There are dozens of landmarks and features waiting to be identified, though there are few easy to use resources to help. The Mount Shasta Landmark Locator can be helpful in learning the mountain’s geography. The Locator has detailed guides to the 4 cardinal orientations of the mountain. This is particularly helpful considering how distinctly different Mount Shasta appears from these perspectives.

The impressive number of landmarks on Mount Shasta is indicative of the mountain’s complex geology. The fact is, Mount Shasta has experienced 4 distinct eruptive epochs, each adding a major quadrant to the volcano’s geography. This has heavily influenced Mount Shasta’s distinct appearance. Read more about these 4 eruption cones here. This article is an excellent companion to the Landmark Locator and helps explain many of the features identified there.

Mount Shasta may be the dominant peak in this corner of the country but there are other noteworthy summits that should not be overlooked. The two most obvious are Mount Eddy and Black Butte. The former is the highest point in the Klamath Mountains and the entire coastal ranges of the coterminous states. Dotted with lake basins and boasting spectacular views, it is a premier destination in its own right. The latter of the two peaks is the westernmost summit of the California Cascades. The distinct shape and prominent position make Black Butte an unmissable presence. The trail to the summit is a Mount Shasta area classic.

Three rivers flow around the base of Mount Shasta. The Sacramento River, California’s largest and longest river, begins nearby, while the McCloud and Shasta Rivers also begin in the area. Flowing through deep canyons, over large waterfalls and through broad valleys, these rivers are beautiful contrasts to the towering spire of Mount Shasta. They also offer diverse recreational opportunities that include hiking, fishing and kayaking. In addition to the rivers, there are dozens of beautiful creeks flowing through the area. Wagon Creek and Castle Creek are probably the most notable but many others yield beautiful and refreshing destination. For those looking to explore, these are 5 of the best trails along rivers and creeks in the area.

The Mount Shasta area has a number of fantastic waterfalls. This generally fit into two categories. The first are those that are found in the lowlands around Mount Shasta. Some of these are along the McCloud and Sacramento Rivers, a few others are in the mountains to the west of Mount Shasta. None are particularly high in elevation except Wagon Creek Falls. The river waterfalls flow all year so can be viewed whenever they are accessible. Those a little higher up are best in spring. The other category of waterfalls are those found on Mount Shasta. These are all harder to get to due to rugged access roads and terrain and, in some cases, lack of trails leading to them. Whitney Falls is the easiest to get to but its flow can be fickle. Ash Creek Falls may be the most beautiful of the bunch.

There are a variety of places around Mount Shasta that don’t see many visitors but still offer spectacular scenery and fascinating geology. The tiny number of people heading to these places is in not indicative of how magnificent they are. This series of articles attempts to pique the reader’s interest and encourage hikers to get out and explore areas beyond the trail.

Fall Color

The Mount Shasta area is not well known for having great fall color. However the area does have some spots where the autumnal foliage can be pretty intense. This is due, in large measure to oak trees and the many trees that line riparian areas. Hiking along the Sacramento River, the McCloud River and Squaw Valley Creek are all places that are good bets to see some great collections of trees turning shades of red and gold. Aside from these areas, look for places with lots of oaks or willows to catch some of fall’s excellent spectacle. For those hungry for aspens, there are a few places to catch them, especially north of Mills Meadow and also a massive grove located near Tennant.

The Mount Shasta vicinity has a long and interesting history. Native Americans lived in the area for millenia before the arrival of Americans. Resource utilization set in early but it was not long before Mount Shasta had gained the attention of many conservation luminaries. Most notable of these was John Muir himself, the father of the modern conservation movement. He had a long and important relationship with Mount Shasta, making several trips to the area. He strongly advocated the mountain be preserved as a national park:

“The Shasta region is still a fresh unspoiled wilderness, accessible and available for travelers of every kind and degree. Would it not be a fine thing to set it apart like the Yellowstone and Yosemite as a National Park for the welfare and benefit of all mankind, preserving its fountains and forests and all its glad life in primeval beauty?”
– John Muir, “Picturesque California”, 1888

This article collects several other discussions of vintage Mount Shasta subjects.

Visiting Mount Shasta

Hiking is naturally a favorite way of appreciating Mount Shasta. Hundreds of miles of trail course across the mountain’s flanks and through the surrounding ranges. This map shows most of the trails on and around Mount Shasta:

The massive Hotlum Glacier clings to the upper flanks of the northeast side of Mount Shasta.

Mount Shasta is home to the 4 largest glaciers in California. On the northern slopes one can observe the Whitney and Bolam Glaciers while on the east side are the Hotlum and Wintun Glaciers. Of these two eastern glaciers, the Hotlum is the most notable because it is California’s largest glacier. The vast field of ice extends 1.25 miles down the side of the mountain, descending about 3,000 feet. Measuring the combined width of its multiple lobes, the Hotlum Glacier is nearly 1 mile wide at its base. It really is a singularly impressive sheet of ice. Yet, despite being notable for all of these reasons, there is another reason, more difficult to discern and more mysterious than the others. This is the fact that the Hotlum Glacier is the only glacier in California to have an extant medial moraine.

This may sound somewhat anticlimactic, so please allow a quick digression to explain what a moraine is. As glaciers form they begin to move downhill. The massive blocks of ice carve, scour and cut away at whatever feature lies along their path. This slow, gradual grinding away at the landscape is what has formed such famed landmarks at Yosemite Valley and the Kiger Gorge on Steens Mountain. However, all the debris that is worn away by the passage of the glacier is moved along with the glacier, pushed aside by the downhill motion. Debris is also pushed by the head of the glacier as well. These are called lateral and terminal moraines, respectively.

Medial moraines begin as lateral moraines, but when two glaciers meet and form a single glacier, or if two lobes of one glacier recombine, the lateral debris becomes locked in the center of ice. They appear as long, dark lines amidst the bright white and blue of the glacial ice. These features are easily recognizable in glaciers from such places as Alaska, the Alps, and the Himalayas. Here are two examples from Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska:

McBride Glacier

Casement Glacier

Medial moraines do not typically forms on small or moderately sized glaciers. They are the domain of the great glaciers, the long rivers of ice that flow from mountains at extreme latitudes or altitudes. In terms of glacial activity, California is far to the south of where most of the conditions exist for extensive glacial activity. The Sierra Nevada has a few glaciers, but most are just vestigial remnants of the vast ice fields that once covered that mountain range. Furthermore, any evidence of medial moraines, assuming there were any, has long since been washed away. Only on Mount Shasta, and only on the Hotlum Glacier is there evidence of such a feature in California.

The red marks the current extent of the Hotlum Glacier. The yellow lines mark medial moraines.

Southern, larger flow of the Hotlum Glacier.

Today, just as it must have done in the past, the Hotlum Glacier splits in two, descending down the flanks of Mount Shasta in two large segments. These are separated by a large rock outcropping that divides the flowing ice. Something similar, though no doubt larger, must also have taken place in the past, for just below this large outcropping is the beginning of the medial moraine. It would appear that this protruding rock divided the glacier into two large flows. Below the rock protrusion the flows converged again, this time carrying the debris carved away from Mount Shasta by the glacier. This debris was then carried downhill as the ice slowly crept its way down the mountain.

As all glaciers at this latitude have done over the last several millenia, the Hotlum Glacier has receded. This has left the medial moraine isolated from the ice that created it. Nonetheless, the geology is still evident and it is easy to envision how much larger the glacier was in the not-too-distant past. If we accept the terminal moraine, which lies at the end of the medial moraine, to represent the full extent of the glacier’s size, then the massive ice sheet would have extended almost 6 miles down Mount Shasta, descending 7,500 feet over its journey. This would have been a truly staggering chunk of ice. Its measurements would have significantly exceeded Mount Rainier’s Emmons Glacier, the largest glacier in the coterminous United States.

Click to enlarge these two illustrations showing the Hotlum Glacier’s medial moraines:

Approximate former extent of Hotlum Glacier

Current extent and medial moraines

It must have been a magnificent sight to behold. Observing the massive, slow-moving river of ice rising just below Mount Shasta’s summit and creeping all the way down to its lower flanks. Indicative of its size, there was not just one medial moraine on the Hotlum Glacier. The primary one was the largest but it was flanked by two smaller, parallel moraines. They follow the same path of flow and feature the same, distinctive sweeping curve in the first quarter of their length. Indeed, it is this curve that makes the nature of the moraines apparent even to the untrained eye. It is easy to visualize only the top of these moraines visible of the large field of ice that surrounded it.

The upper section of Mount Shasta’s medial moraine.

With the lack of ice surrounding the moraines now, it is not as easy to recognize them at every angle. While their upper reaches extend above the treeline, the preponderance of their bulk is now below this point and is forest cover has taken root midst the rocky terrain. The moraine are also long and low, which does not cause them to stand out from most angles. Nonetheless, once an observer understands what to look for, the medial moraines become much more apparent.

Viewed from Ash Creek Butte.

Viewed from North Gate plugs.

The medial moraines aren’t the only ones that remain to testify to the former scale of the Hotlum Glacier. Both of the main halves of the glacier have below them large fields of smaller, successive terminal moraines. As the glacier receded it would periodically advance again, covering a short distance and pushing a small pile of debris forward before it would melt and shrink again. This is what has caused the distinctive wave patterns around the treeline areas near the medial moraines. The smaller of the two fields lies below the larger of the Hotlum Glacier’s two current halves. However, there are several fields of terminal moraines in the area between the medial moraine and the Hotlum-Bolam Ridge, which seperates the Hotlum Glacier from the Bolam Glacier. The fields of terminal moraines are a dramatic retelling of the Hotlum Glacier’s story, of massive growth and then a protracted age of advance and recession, finally leading to today’s diminished-but-still-massive glacier.

There are not many vantage points that yield good views of California’s lone medial moraine and it has largely gone ignored, overlooked or unappreciated. Despite this, it is one of the most fascinating geologic features not just on Mount Shasta, but possibly in all of California. Only places like Yosemite Valley offer a correspondingly easy-to-understand visual of the power, nature and scale of the glaciers that once covered the majority of the mountains of the Golden State.

A great way to remedy this would be the construction of a “Moraine Vista Trail”. There is the ridge south of the Whaleback and immediately east of the moraine offers spectacular views not just of the medial moraine but also of the entire east side of Mount Shasta, which is the least viewed and least appreciated side of the mountain. There is good, paved road access and the land is in the midst of a logged area, which means it is unlikely to be used for little else. It would be great to build a pathway that could be used to educate people on California’s glacial past, present and possible future. It would also give hikers a chance to enjoy a new area and views of the mountain that are currently available the few who venture onto that side of the mountain. Such a trail would be a marvelous addition to the Mount Shasta area’s trail network!

The geology of Northern California is a subject of endless fascination, with its many mountain ranges, varied geologic compositions and complex associations that these create. Mount Shasta is a microcosm of many of the features, condensed down into a single mountain. While there are indeed different types of rock within the mountain, it remains relatively homogeneous in the sense that all the types are of volcanic origin. However, the volcanic genesis of Mount Shasta is, in fact far more varied than many casual observers might suspect. Yet even the quickest of surveys of the mountain cannot help but notice the mighty satellite cone of Shastina protruding abruptly from Mount Shasta’s northwest flank. This is ready evidence that there have been more than one eruptive period for California’s great volcano. Indeed, this unmissable landmark is the gateway observation to a far more complex geologic history.

Three eruptive cones viewed from the north.

A more in depth study of Mount Shasta’s geography will yield some more detailed elements of the mountain’s structure. Things worth noting are the presence of four large glaciers on the north and east sides, the presence of large, craggy ridges on the west and south sides, the absence of such ridges on the north and east and the relatively smooth curvature of the mountain’s flank on those sides. All of these elements are indicative of the complex eruptive history of Mount Shasta. Specifically, these observations are indicative of the fact that the mountain is not merely a main volcanic cone with the large Shastina a single satellite cone, but rather, a complex joining of 4 different cones, each representing a different eruptive period.

The four eruptive cones of Mount Shasta, viewed from above.

The 4 cones of Mount Shasta are, in large measure, the source of the mountain’s splendidly diverse appearance. Depending on the location from which the mountain is viewed, it can have an utterly different appearance. Much of this is due to the presence of Shastina but the arrangement of the other cones also plays an important role in the mountain’s continually changing appearance. At first glance, the other three cones seem indistinguishable. Further observation, however, may expose the truth of the matter. All three cones that compose the main part of Mount Shasta are best viewed from the west. The cones take their names from prominent features related to them. They are the Hotlum Cone, Misery Cone and Sargents Ridge Cone. The first of these is the main summit and it, by itself, makes up roughly half the mass of the entire mountain. Next, the Misery Cone, is actually prominently visible from Mount Shasta City, obscuring the actual summit and composing most of the highest visible reaches of the mountain. It takes its name from Misery Hill, which lies just west of the actual summit and torments climbers exhausted from the ascent of Avalanche Gulch. The final cone, the Sargents Ridge Cone, is the oldest part of Mount Shasta. Its rugged striations seen above Avalanche Gulch and even more prominently at the head of Mud Creek Canyon are a mosaic of the detritus of past eruptions.

The following illustrations make the distinction between the cones more obvious:

When viewed from the east, only the Hotlum Cone is visible, making Mount Shasta appear as a more typical, conical volcano.

Thumb Rock at the head of Mud Creek Canyon.

Of the four cones, Sargents Ridge Cone is the oldest. Features like Thumb Rock are the necks of old volcanoes. Erosion and glaciers have cut away at this ancient volcano and exposed the convoluted innards of the old giant. Mud Creek Canyon is often described as being a part of prehistoric Mount Shasta. This is because it formed on the oldest part of Mount Shasta and may have predated the later eruptions. Misery Cone is the second oldest, followed by Shastina, which is believed to have formed only in the last 10,000 years. Astonishingly, Hotlum Cone, which makes up the bulk of Mount Shasta, is the newest, formation, having pushed up through all the other eruption cones. Though it dominates the mountain now, it is a recent addition to the neighborhood. Though they may have emerged at separate times, the four cones together combine to make Mount Shasta an utterly awe-inspiring mountain.

A large dike radiates from Shiprock.

Once one perceives the existence of the four different cones, an interesting possibility emerges. The rugged ridges that extend from eruption points seem like they may in fact be magmatic dikes. These formations occur when magma emanating internally from a volcano intrudes into a crack or fissure. The magma then cools and is exposed via erosion. The way that these features radiate out from the center point of the old eruptions, as well as the ragged crest of the ridges, looks awfully similar to other, well known magma dikes. The most notable ones are those that are formed by the mysterious Shiprock in New Mexico. East and West Spanish Peaks in Colorado also have prominent dikes. In both cases, there are central eruptive cones (or their remnants, as in the case of Shiprock) from which radiate large magmatic dikes.

Observe both:

Shiprock

West Spanish Peak

East Spanish Peak (note inlay close-up of the dikes in upper right)

Compare these formations with ridges on Mount Shasta:

The ridges on Mount Shasta seem quite similar to the magmatic dikes present with Shiprock and the Spanish Peaks. In particular, the southern dike of Shiprock strongly resembles Casaval Ridge on Mount Shasta. The way these ridges connect to the eruption areas on the cones seems to indicated that they are, in some way related to the former volcanoes, just as the dikes on the other peaks are remnants of the volcanic activity in those areas. In both cases the cooled lava has extruded from the larger mass. This would also explain why ridges are exposed on Mount Shasta’s south and west sides but not on the north and east sides. The older volcanoes, Misery Cone and Sargents Ridge Cone, were already formed during the Ice Age and were consequently heavily glaciated. The large rivers of ice cut away at the mountain and made apparent the dikes formed during ancient eruptions. Conversely, Shastina and the Hotlum Cone are believed to postdate the Ice Age and, therefore, have not had glaciers open the mountain up and declare the volcanic dikes that may be present. Of course, Hotlum Cone is currently experiencing the ministry of the Whitney, Bolam, Hotlum and Wintun Glaciers, so the possibility of dikes or rugged ridges being revealed in the future remains. Of course, this is all speculation, but the appearance of the formations seems to fit the theory.

Hopefully the recognition of the various eruption cones on Mount Shasta will help admirers identify and distinguish landmarks on the mountain. The mountain’s geography demands to be studied and everyone who admires the Mount Shasta appreciates the combined beauty of the 4 cones.

Sunset over Mount Whitney, highpoint of the coterminous United States.

One of the books I have really enjoyed reading this summer is Francis Farquhar’s “History of the Sierra Nevada“. In some ways it seems odd to write a history of a mountain range, given that the mountains are simply there and “do” nothing. What the book really focuses on is the history of the peoples that have interacted with these most-loved mountains. It begins with Native Americans, proceeds through the Spanish and eventually comes to Americans. This last is where the true history of the Sierra Nevada begins, since it was Americans that made the first forays into the high country of the Sierra, crossed them, explored them, harnessed them and then preserved them.

Whitney and Hoffman not pictured.

One of the many excellent chapters is on the California Geologic Survey, which thoroughly explored, mapped, named and documented a significant chunk of the Sierra Nevada. The Survey was created in 1860 and tasked with making an accurate scientific survey of the entire state of California. This they did, though the bulk of their time was spent in the Sierra Nevada, which was the largest unknown region in the state. The head of the survey was Josiah Whitney, who was a graduate of Yale and had participated in several surveys in the eastern U.S. before being named California’s first official state geologist. He assembled a team whose names are now familiar to Sierra Nevada aficionados. It included Richard Brewer, Charles Hoffman, Clarence King, James Gardiner and Richard Cotter. The team had many adventures as they explored and recorded vast swaths of the Golden State. Much of what they traveled was either unexplored or had only been barely visited and knowledge of these places was scant. For excellent reading, first-hand accounts of these adventures can be had in the fantastic books “Up and Down California In 1860-1864” by Brewer and “Mountaineering In The Sierra Nevada” by King.

This brings us to the relevance of Mount Shasta. The Survey visited Mount Shasta during the course of it’s work and an ascent was made. However, it was in 1870, when Clarence King returned to the mountain at the head of federal Fortieth Parallel Survey that he climbed Shasta as well as visited and identified the massive glacier that flows between Mount Shasta and Shastina. He named the glacier after his mentor Josiah Whitney. This was the first active glacier to be identified in the United States. Subsequent to this, other features on Mount Shasta, all related to the Whitney Glacier, came to bear the name of Josiah Whitney. This includes Whitney Creek and Whitney Falls.

Whitney Glacier

Whitney Falls

Whitney Creek

Of course, the features on Mount Shasta are not the only prominent California landmarks to bear the name of Josiah Whitney. Even more impressive is the grand tower of Mount Whitney, highest point in the Sierra Nevada, California and the entirety of the lower 48 states of the United States. Climbing to a towering 14,505 feet, it is just 326 feet taller than Mount Shasta. The apogee of the Sierra Nevada came to bear the name of Whitney again through the agency of Clarence King, this time during his stint with the California Geologic Survey. During the summer of 1864, he and Richard Cotter were making a spectacular crossing of the High Sierra in the area of the Kings River. They eventually made the first ascent of 14,025 foot Mount Tyndall (another hero of King’s). From the summit they espied a couple of peaks higher yet. Of the higher of the two peaks King states:

“That which looked highest of all was a cleanly cut helmet of granite, lying six miles south. Mount Whitney, as we afterwards called it in honor of our chief, is probably the highest land within the United States. The summit looks glorious but inaccessible“.

Thus was the discovery of what was, indeed the highest point in the United States at that time. Denali and several other Alaskan peaks far exceed Mount Whitney in height but at the time that King discovered Whitney, those peaks were still a part of the Russian Empire. It was a momentous discovery and one that would eventually lead to thousands of hikers defying King’s assessment of its accessibility and persevering through the hard climb up to the summit in order to stand atop California and the lower 48’s highest point.

Awesome Mount Whitney aglow at sunrise

As I continue to read, I am frequently and pleasantly surprised by the connections that exist between Mount Shasta and the Sierra Nevada. I have written about some of the links that bind Mount Shasta to Yosemite in the past but the more I read, the more I see how they are interconnected. It may not be through geology, for the Cascade Range and the Sierra Nevada are quite distinct. Yet, in the hearts of people, these two monumental landmarks are connected in the similar esteem with which they are beheld. Many other connections exist, some immortalized by names like that of Brewer and other linked by the experiences that were had in both regions, like those of Norman Clyde. In the end, like in Farquhar’s book, it is not the mountains themselves that are connected, but through the interactions and admiration of the people who look awestruck upward toward their mighty heights.

Flowing off the north side of Mount Shasta, Whitney Creek is the largest watershed on this side of the mountain. It originates as meltwater from the Whitney Glacier and flows through a barren volcanic landscape before it plummets off a 200 foot cliff at Whitney Falls. It then races through a deep canyon before being joined by Bolam Creek, the northside’s other significant creek. Other than when the creek passes through lava flows, nearly its entire journey the terrain is composed of ash, loose rock and layers of glacial till. It is an unusual and beautiful landscape to see a water running through.

Something was nagging at me when I posted my recent article on Whitney Creek. Something about the creek just didn’t click in my memory the way it should have. I started sifting through old pictures of the creek until I found what I was looking for. Hidden away in my collection of old images I have taken of Mount Shasta, I knew there were old images that showed Whitney Creek from the same place the pictures in the article were taken. When I found them, I was able to confirm what had been bothering me. I had subconsciously realized that the creek’s channel was significantly different from the way the creek was fixed in my memory.

2013

2017

The images are not from the exact same perspective but they do show the same stretch of the creek. Whitney Creek has cleared away a substantial amount of the debris that fills its channel. I have passed the creek here numerous times and never payed much attention to the fact that its appearance has been altered considerably. I think I recognized this now because I have been tuned into the changing landscape of the Sacramento River at the inlet of Lake Siskiyou. I have written about this subject ad nauseum, but it really has made me more sensitive to how water continues to alter the land that channels it.

Of course, this was not a new phenomenon on Whitney Creek. Not only was there the infamous glacial outburst of 1997, but I have witnessed and written about these changes myself. I suspect the result of the flooding I documented in 2014 was responsible for the same changes I noticed on this stretch last week. These weren’t connected in my mind however and the changing channel went unnoticed. That will be a lesson to me to heighten my observation of these areas even more. To my knowledge, the trail has not been repaired since it was washed out. This unfortunate, since the Whitney Falls Trail has the easiest access of all the trails on Mount Shasta that are not on Everitt Memorial Highway. Perhaps it is time to organize a crew to get out and fix it!

Whitney Creek, which flows out of the Whitney Glacier, races below Mount Shasta.

On Friday morning I got up and headed out to Orr Lake to catch the sunrise on Mount Shasta. The east side of mountain has phenomenal, though rarely seen, sunrises:

Driving out to Orr Lake necessitates crossing over Whitney Creek on Highway 97. This always presents an opportunity to check on the status of this frustratingly fickle stream. While nearly all the creeks on Mount Shasta are fed by springs, Whitney Creek is one of the few that derives the bulk of its flow from glacial melt. This means that there is likely nothing flowing during the spring thaw and during the cold winter months. It is only when temperatures rise and the glacier begins to melt that there is a chance of finding water in the creek. Of course, the main reason this is of interest to hikers is because the water in the creek means Whitney Falls, the most easily accessible waterfall on Mount Shasta (though it is an increasingly difficult proposition to get there) is flowing.

So, when I crossed the creek on the way back from watching the sun rise from Orr Lake, I stopped to check the flow on Whitney Creek. I was impressed with just how much water was flowing, even early in the morning before the temperatures had risen.

2017

I have not seen that much water in Whitney Creek along Highway 97 in a long time. This current heat wave, though hot, is presenting an excellent opportunity to head up to the north side of the mountain and see the 200 foot waterfall thundering down into the canyon. Of course, it is worth mentioning, that the trail conditions at Whitney Creek are questionable. The creek has resisted efforts to allow a well-built trail to be maintained. Sections have been washed out and older parts of the trail are getting overgrown. I think it is time to revisit the possibility of organizing an effort to clear the overgrown section of trail and increase access to the falls overlook. That will no doubt have to wait for cooler weather. In the meantime, head up to the falls, if you are willing to brave the heat and the deteriorating trail conditions!

Mount Shasta is the unchallenged monarch of mountains in Northern California. No other mountain in the Golden State dominates the landscape the way it does. The mountain can be seen from well over 100 miles away in most directions. Its visibility is due in part to its unbelievably massive size and soaring height. Mount Shasta can also be seen from great distances because it towers so high above all the other mountains in the region. This is not to say that mountains that surround Mount Shasta are not high or lack impressive size in their own right. On the contrary, many of the peaks are quite remarkable on their own merits. Still few mountains can compare to the great height and incredible bulk of Mount Shasta. Being overshadowed does not mean that the lesser mountain around the mountain deserve to be cast into obscurity. They should still be appreciated for their own splendid qualities. Though they all exist in Mount Shasta’s shadow, the five highest peaks around the mountain remain extraordinary. They also represent the dramatic differences between the two mountain ranges that flank Mount Shasta. On the west side are Mount Eddy and China Mountain, both high peaks of the vast Klamath Mountains. To the east and north of Mount Shasta are the Goosenest, Whaleback and Ash Creek Butte. These three peaks are among the highest in the California section of the great Cascade Range. Not surprisingly, these peaks all have fantastic views of Mount Shasta. What are often less appreciated are the views of these high peaks from Mount Shasta itself. It should not come as a surprise that the trials on Mount Shasta yield excellent vantages from which to observe the mountains that surround Mount Shasta. Whether climbing these peaks to gain perspective of Mount Shasta or hiking on Mount Shasta and gazing down at the mountain’s neighbors, these five peaks deserve more consideration than they often get.

Mount Eddy (9,025)

Mount Eddy seen from the South Gate Trail.

The highest point in both the vast Klamath Mountains range and its subrange, the Trinity Divide, Mount Eddy is a colossal mountain in its own right. Boasting an awesome array of alpine lakes and verdant meadows, Mount Eddy is almost large enough to be considered a small mountain range on its own. Composed of peridotite and serpentine, the mountain is an unusual patchwork of bright yellows and reds. It is definitely one of the more colorful mountains in the Mount Shasta area. Mount Eddy has experienced significant glacial activity in the past, as evidenced by its deep lake basins and soaring vertical cliffs. While hiking on Mount Shasta, it is difficult to miss the brooding massif that is Mount Eddy. Both the Green Butte Ridge Trail and the Old Ski Bowl section of the South Gate Meadow Trail have spectacular views of the highest mountain around Mount Shasta.

China Mountain (8,542)

China Mountain observed from Diller Canyon.

Easily the most obscure of the five highest peaks around Mount Shasta, China Mountain rarely ranks high on hiker’s lists of favorite mountains in the Mount Shasta region. This is unfortunate because hikers who ignore China Mountain are missing out on one of the most rugged and beautiful mountains around. Blessed with sheer cliffs and three lake basins, the China Mountain area always seems to be overlooked. Despite the obscurity, the mountain has much to offer hikers. The three lakes basins make great hiking and scrambling destinations. At the same time, because of its obscurity, China Mountain offers nature-lovers a deep since of isolation. As if reflecting the obscurity of China Mountain, no trails on Mount Shasta offer really exceptional views of the peak. However, for those explorers fortunate enough to make the journey into Diller Canyon, a tremendous view of China Mountain awaits to the west.

The Whaleback (8,528)

The Whaleback viewed from the North Gate Trail.

One of the most prominently visible peaks to the north of Mount Shasta, the Whaleback gets its name because the large mountain is thought to look like the back of a diving whale. Excluding Mount Shasta, the Whaleback is the highest peak in the Cascades between Crater Peak in the Lassen area and Mount McLoughlin in Oregon. Like the vast majority of summits in the Cascades, the Whaleback was once an active volcano. A small crater is situated just below the summit. The small summit and great bulk of the mountain are typical of shield volcanos. These are formed by numerous, successive volcanic eruptions. Lava spills out layer after layer, gradually building the mountain up. The area around the Whaleback saw significant logging activity in the last century but much of the mountain is still covered in large stands of virgin timber. The heavily wooded peak, combined with the its rounded summit give the Whaleback the least rugged appearance when compared to the other high peaks around Mount Shasta. Since it is situated on the great mountains northeast side, the lonely North Gate Trail offer great views of the Whaleback is it climbs up to the foot of the North Gate plugs.

Ash Creek Butte (8,378)

Ash Creek Butte rises beyond Brewer Creek.

While the other Cascade peaks around Mount Shasta could be described as having rounded summits with small craters, Ash Creek Butte is a strikingly rugged and craggy mountain. Rising to a narrow, pointed summit, Ash Creek Butte exhibits significant glacial activity. At least two major glacial cirques are found on the mountain’s north side and a possible third cirque is located on its east face. The cirques were once home to large glaciers that ground the rounded, smooth-sided mountain down and exposed gaping, rocky canyons in their wake. The Surprise Basin on Ash Creek Butte’s north side is the most impressive. Though the glaciers are gone, much of their detritus remains in the form of Surprise Lake, a smaller, unnamed lake and a large fossil rock glacier. This peculiar feature was formed when portions of Ash Creek Butte collapsed after being undermined by the glacier. The collapsed debris covered the glacier, which subsequently melted away. The debris now appears like the fossilized remnant of the glacier. Of all the high peaks around Mount Shasta, Ash Creek Butte is the most isolated and least known, though it is also the most impressive in appearance, other than Mount Eddy. The best views from Mount Shasta trails are found on the equally isolated Brewer Creek Trail, particularly from Brewer Creek itself.

The Goosenest (8,280)

The Goosenest rises above the Cascade crest.

Classic volcanic peak, the Goosenest is the most prominent summit on the east side of the Shasta Valley. The rounded, dome-like summit is blanketed in large lava flows. Though the woods have begun encroaching on the large flows, they are still easily discerned from far below in valley. The summit consists of a largely bare, ashy rim around a deep crater. The rounded rim is what gives the mountain its nest-like appearance. Two trails wind their way to the summit. On the north side is a maintained foot path. The south side is traversed by an old road that climbs up from an old quarry. The foot path is a much nicer climb. Despite the Goosenest’s great visibility throughout the area to the north of Mount Shasta, it is only prominent from a pair of trails, the Whitney Falls Trail and the North Gate Trail. The latter in particular has the best views since it climbs high enough on Mount Shasta to gain a perspective that shows the Goosenest rising high above the other peaks on the Cascade crest.

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